QUOTE (ruhdwulf @ 25 Oct 2004, 20:33)One thing that might make digital starts less prone to smash-ups is a flying start. Racers make one or two laps in their respective positions and then start when the pole car hits the start/finish line. If there is a pit lane exit, it could be that a pace car could be used and this would provide a useful function for the pit lane.
Clearing the car in the other lane is the responsiblity of the car changing lanes. Contact can result in a penalty or disqualification. (See 1 and 2 below.)
I think a lot will fall on a race director/administrator. There will be more calls to make. If someone deliberately rams another car... either from behind or from the side in lane changing the race director/administrator could either: 1) penalize the offender a lap or 2) disqualify the offender... depending on how egregious the fault was perceived to be.
Whenever a car is replace on the track by a turn marshall, it is place in the inside lane.
Personally, I think digital racing lends itself to crash and burn rules, which will produce a bit more initial caution until racers get a feel for the track... and replicate real-world racing.
That is, if you crash and remain wheels up on the track, it's treated as a spin-out and a turn marshall can replace the car in the inside lane. However, if a car crashes and either leaves the track surface entirely, ends up upside down, or strikes a fixed barrier... it is pulled from the race as damaged beyond repair.
In this scenario, taking chances and pushing the envelope have real consequences... just as they do in a real-world race. Smacking the wall at a scale speed of 150 miles an hour... and having a turn marshall place the car back on the track is not realistic... though it is standard practice in analog racing. Either is, of course, acceptable... but they produce different kinds of racing and different mindsets for drivers.
Just some thoughts to get the pot boiling.
Mike
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These are great ideas and im glad someone else is thinking along these lines. Let me add to them . . .
*** Rule #1 ***
Rear ending someone and causing a deslot should be a penalty.
*** Rule #2 ***
The responsibily of sucessfully changing lanes falls on the shoulders of the driver changing lanes. If he causes a deslot as a result of a lane change, he is penalized.
*** Rule #3 ***
There is a zone after the LC that is called the "Live Zone". In this area, a driver who just changed lanes is vulnerable to being hit, and if he is deslotted by another driver, the other driver is not penalized.
Rule #3 is important to stop slower drivers from intentionally switching in front of oncoming traffic, which might otherwise be a problem in serious racing. The "live zone" may be considered the area after the LC and before the next LC. Alternatively, the live zone might be the area from the LC to the next turn (house rule).
As a result of rule #3:
*Slower traffic may be advised to not switch lanes and just allow faster traffic to negotiate around. (Or risk being legally rammed by a faster driver.)
*Drivers engaged in a "duel" will be discouraged from making reckless passes. It would be very easy for a driver to inch ahead, cut in front of his opponent and then take his time to the next LC. This disrupt the rythym of the trailing driver and could be used to develop an artificial advantage as the trailing driver hits his brakes to avoid a collision and penalty. The live zone is very important to discourage this, and it also lets aggressive drivers "legally" develop a ramming technique.
Chris